Nursing bottle



Aug. 17, 1965 JAMELL 3,200,980

NURSING BOTTLE Filed June 5, 1964 United States Patent 3,200,980 NURSINGBOTTLE Francis A. Jamell, 805 S. 11th Ave., Marshalltown, Iowa FiledJune 5, 1964, Ser. No. 373,005

Claims. (CL 215-11) This invention relates to a nursing bottle and moreparticularly to a nursing bottle having a nursing nipple on one endthereof and a valve means on the other thereof.

Nursing bottles have long been used by mothers to feed their infants.The common nursing bottle has an upper open end on which a nipple meansis mounted. As the infant withdraws fluid from a nursing bottle a vacuumis created therein which retards the flow of the fluid from the bottle.The infant is unable to withdraw fluid from the container unless thenipple is removed from his mouth and air is permitted to enter thecontainer through the nipple. As the air enters the bottle through thenipple, air is entrained in the fluid in the form of bubbles. When theinfant resumes his feeding, the fluid is swallowed as well as theentrained air bubbles. These entrained air bubbles cause the infant tohave colic.

Anti-colic nipples have been designed to allow air to enter the bottlewithout removing the nipple from the infants mouth, but they also permitthe entering air to pass through the fluid and thereby result inentrained air bubbles in the fluid.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a nursingbottle which prevents colic.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle whichpermits air to enter the bottle without removing the nipple from themouth of an infant.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle whichhas a nipple means on one end thereof and a valve means on the other endthereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle whichis easily cleaned and sterilized.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle whichpermits air to enter the bottle without resulting in air being entrainedin the fluid.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle havinga valve means associated therewith which is leak proof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottlewhich permits the fluid contained therein to flow freely through anipple means.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottlewhich is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined inappearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

, This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device with portions thereofcut away to more fully illustrate the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the valve means on one endof the bottle.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 3-3 of FIG. 2at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the valve means portion of thedevice.

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the valve means in which the flexibleresilient means has a plurality of holes to permit air to enter thenursing bottle.

The numeral generally designates a nursing bottle having opposite openends. A nursing nipple 11 is 3,200,980 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 mounted onone end of nursing bottle 10 and is maintained thereon by means of capmember 13 threadably secured thereto. The numeral 15 generallydesignates a valve means partially inserted into the other open end ofnursing bottle 10 and maintained therein by means of cup-shaped member17.

With respect to FIG. 4, cap member 17 is comprised of a circular baseportion 19 and having a wall portion 21 extending upwardly from theperiphery thereof. Base portion 19 is provided with an opening 23extending therethrough. The interior surface of wall portion 21 isprovided with threads 25 extending inwardly therefrom. Valve means 15 iscomprised of a fiat circular base portion 27 having a cylindrical member29 extending upwarclly therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof. Agroove 31 is provided in cylindrical member 29 adjacent its upper endand which extends around the periphery thereof. An elongated bore 33extends through base portion 27 and cylindrical member 29. Elongatedbore 33 has an enlarged diameter portion 35 for a portion of its upperlength as illustrated in FIG. 3. A valve seat 37 is provided inelongated bore 33 which is adapted to receive ball member 39. Ballmember 39 is yieldably maintained inengagement with valve seat 37 bymeans of resilient retaining means 41. Resilient retaining means 41 hasa lip portion 43 along its periphery which is adapted to engage groove31 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment for allowing air to enter the interiorof nursing bottle 10 in which a port 45 is provided in cylindricalmember 29 and which extends there into from the outer edge and which is.in communication with enlarged diameter portion 35 of the elongatedbore 33. A further embodiment for allowing air to enter the interior ofnursing. bottle 10 is shown in FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 5,resilient retaining means 41 is provided with a plurality of holes 47.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 port 45 is not present.

Nursing bottle 10 has external threads 49 which are adapted tothreadably receive the threads of cap member 17 to maintain valve means15 thereon.

Nursing bottle 10 may be constructed of any suitable material, such asglass, Pyrex or plastic. Cap members 13 and 17 may be constructed of anysuitable material, such as plastic or Bakelite. Valve means may also beconstructed of any suitable material, such as plastic or the like.Resilient retaining means 41 may be constructed of a rubber material orof a resilient plastic material.

The normal method of operation is as follows. Valve means 15 willbeinserted into the open end of bottle 10 and cap member 17 will bethreadably secured to the external threads of bottle 10 to maintainvalve means 15 therein. The liquid to be consumed may be placed intonursing bottle 10 through the other open end and then nipple means 11and cap member 13 placed thereon.

As the infant withdraws liquid from the nursing bottle 10, a reductionof pressure within nursing bottle 10 will obviously occur. Thedifference in pressure between the interior and exterior of nursingbottle 10 will cause air to pass through opening 23 of cap member 17 andto pass through elongated bore 33 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. Thepressure differential will cause ball means 39 to be unseated from valveseat 37. As ball means 39 is unseated from valve seat 37 air will passaround the exterior surface of ball means 39 and pass througgh port 45and then into the interior of bottle means 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3.If the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 5 is utilized, the air willpass around the exterior surfaceof ball means 39 and enter the interiorof nursing bottle 10 by means of holes 47 in resilient retaining means41 as illustrated therein. When suflicient air has entered the interiorof nursing bottle 10 so that the resiliency of sponges resilientretaining means it is greater than the pressure caused by the outsideatmosphere, ball means 39 will again be seated on valve seat 37.

It is obvious that when nursing bottle ltl is in a position so thatvalve means 15 is in a relatively lower position than nipple means 11,the weight of ball means 3? will prevent any liquid from escapingthrough elongated bore 33. Because the nursing bottle will usually be insuch a position that nipple means llll will be in a lower position thanvalve means 15, the air will enter the upper portion of the nursingbottle it) in which the liquid is not present. This prevents theentering air from becoming entrained in the contained liquid. It is alsoobvious that the resilient retaining means 41 yieldably maintains ballmeans 39 in engagement with valve seat 37 to prevent any liquid fromescaping from the interior of nursing bottle 10. The only time when ballmeans 3? will unseat from valve seat 37 is when a sufficient pressuredifferential exist to permit the outside atmosphere to move ball means39 against a resilient action of resilient retaining means 41 to permitair to enter the interior of nursing bottle lltl. As stated before, theentering air will not become entrained in the liquid that is to beconsumed. Because the liquid is free of entrained air, the infant willnot develop colic as a result of swallowing such air. The device is soconstructed that it is easy to assemble, clean and sterilize.

While the valve means 15' has been described to be especially applicableto a nursing bottle, it is obvious that it could also be utilized on anytype of a container wherein it was desired to permit air to enter theinterior thereof.

Thus, from the foregoing it can be seen that the device accomplishes atleast all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of mynursing bottle without departing from the real spirit and purpose of myinvention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a container having an open end,

a valve means mounted in said open end of said container,

said valve means comprised of a fiat circular base member having top andbottom surfaces; a cylindrical member extending upwardly from the topsurface of said base member; said cylindrical member having an elongatedbore extending therethrough along its longitudinal axis; a valve seat insaid elongated bore; a ball valve yieldably movably maintained inengagement with said valve seat and having a portion thereof protrudingabove the upper end of said cylindrical member; a groove on the outerperiphery of said cylindrical member adjacent its upper end; a resilientmeans extending over the upper end of said cylindrical member and havinga lip portion on its periphery detachably engaging said groove; a portin said cylindrical member extending from said elongated bore outwardlytherethrough at a plane above said valve seat;

means for maintaining said valve means in said open end ofsaidcontainer,

, said resilient means engaging said ball valve and maintaining saidball valve seat, whereby a reduced pressure in said container will causesaid ball valve to disengage from said valve seat against said resilientmeans and permit air from outside of said container to enter saidelongated bore and by-pass said ball valve and pass into said containerthrough said port.

' The device of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said valvemeans in said open end of said container is comprised of a cap meanshaving an opening therein in communication with said elongated bore.

3. In a nursing bottle having open opposite ends,

a valve means mounted in one of said open ends of said nursing bottle,

a nipple means mounted in the other open end of said nursing bottle,

said valve means comprised of a fiat circular base member having top andbottom surfaces; a cylindrical member extending upwardly from the topsurface of said base member; said cylindrical member having an elongatedbore extending therethrough along its longitudinal axis; a valve seat insaid elongated bore; a ball valve yieldably movably maintained inengagement with said valve seat and having a portion thereof protrudingabove the upper end of said cylindrical member; a groove on the outerperiphery of said cylindrical member adjacent its upper end; a resilientmeans extending over the upper "end of said cylindrical member andhaving a lip portion on its periphery detachably engaging said groove; aport in said cylindrical member extending from said elongated boreoutwardly therethrough at a plane above said valve seat,

means for maintaining said valve means and said nipple means in saidopen ends of said nursing bottle,

said resilient means engaging said ball valve and maintaining said ballvalve in engagement with said valve seat whereby a reduced pressure insaid nursing bottle will cause said ball valve to disengage from saidvalve seat against said resilient means and permit air from outside ofsaid nursing bottle to enter said elongated bore and by-pass said ballvalve and pass into said nursing bottle through said port.

4. In a container having at least one open end,

a valve means mounted in said open end of said container,

means for maintaining said valve means in said open end,

said valve means having a valve seat and a ball valve yieldably movablymaintained in engagement with said valve seat,

resilient means for yieldably maintaining said ball valve in engagementwith said valve seat,

said ball valve yieldably disengaging from said valve seat when areduced pressure is created within said container,

. said disengagement of said ball valve from said valve seat allowingcommunication between the atmosphere and the interior of said container,

said valve means including a flat circular base member having acylindrical member extending upwardly therefrom inwardly from theperiphery thereof; said cylindrical member and said base member havingan elongated bore extending therethrough; said 'valve seat being locatedin said elongated bore; said cylindrical member having a groove thereinaround its periphery adjacent its upper end; said resilient means foryieldably maintaining said ball valve in engagement with said valve seatextending over the upper portion of said cylindrical member and engagingsaid groove,

said resilient means having a port extending from said elongated boreoutwardly therethrough at a plane above said valve seat.

5. In -a container having open opposite ends,

a valve means mounted in one of said open ends of said container,

a cap member detachably mounted on said container at said one end andmaintaining said valve means therein,

said valve means having a valve seat and a ball valve yieldably movablymaintained in engagement with said valve seat,

resilient means for yieldably maintaining said ball valve in engagementwith said valve seat,

said ball valve yieldably disengaging from said valve seat when areduced pressure is created within said container,

5 6 said disengagement of said ball valve from said valve portion ofsaid cylindrical member and engaging said seat allowing communicationbetween the atmosgroove, phere and the interior of said container, andsaid cylindrical member having a port extending from said containerhaving a nipple means detachably said elongated bore outwardlytheret'hrough at a secured thereto at its other open end. 5 plane abovesaid valve seat. said valve means including a flat circular base memberhaving a cylindrical member extending upwardly References Cited y theExamine! therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof; said UNITEDSTATES PATENTS cylindrical member and said base member having anelongated bore extending therethrough; said valve 10 2043186 6/36 ODette215 112 2,084,099 6/37 Maccoy 21511.2

seat being located in said elongated bore, said cy- 3 5 d 5 1 lindricalmember having a groove therein around its 9 59 Ree et 21 1 peripheryadjacent its upper end; said resilient means for yieldably maintainingsaid ball valve in engage- JOSEPH LECLAIR Primary Emmmer' ment with saidvalve seat extending over the upper 15 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

1. IN A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END, A VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENEND OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID VALVE MEANNS COMPRISED OF A FLAT CIRCULARBASE MEMBER HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES; A CYLINDRICAL MEMBEREXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID BASE MEMBER; SAIDCYDLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGHALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS; A VALVE SEAT IN SAID ELONGATED BORE; A BALLVALVE YIEDABLY MOVABLY MAINTAINED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE SEAT ANDHAVING A PORTION THEREOF PROTRUDING ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAIDCYLINDRICAL MEMBER; A GROOVE ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CYLINDRICALMEMBBER ADJACENT ITS UPPER END; A RESILIENT MEANS EXTENDING OVER THEUPPER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND HAVING A LIP PORTION ON ITSPERIPHERY DETACHABLY ENGAGING SAID GROOVE; A PORT IN SAID CYLINDRICALMEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID ELONGATED BORE OUTWARDLY THERETHROUGH AT APLANE ABOVE SAID VALVE SEAT; MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID VALVE MEANS INSAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID RESILIENT MEANS ENGAGING SAID BALLVALVE AND MAINTAINING SAIDD BALL VALVE SEAT, WHEREBY A REDUCED PRESSUREIN SAID CONTAIINER WILL CAUSE SAID BALL VALVE TO DISENGAGE FROM SAIDVALVE SEAT AGAINST SAID RESILIENT MEANS AND PERMIT AIR FROM OUTSIDE OFSAID CONTAINER TO ENTER SAID ELONGATED BORE AND BY-PASS SAID BALL VALVEAND PASS INTO SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID PORT.